Cough Medicine
by purplegwen
Summary: Three times that Regina gets sick. Emma cares for her.
1. Chapter 1

Emma Swan was doing dishes when her phone chimed in her pocket. After wiping her hands on her jeans, she pulled out her phone.  
>Regina: Would you please come over to help Henry with a school project? I am unfortunately very sick and would like to avoid contact with Henry in order to prevent him getting sick as well.<br>Emma smiled. She had never gotten such a friendly (Was it friendly? It was friendly enough.) invitation from the Mayor. This wasn't exactly a warm invitation into her son's life, but it was a start.  
>Emma: when should i come over?<br>Regina. Any time today or tomorrow would be acceptable.  
>Emma: b rite over. ~10 min.<p>

Henry opened the door. He was still wearing pajamas. And they had little dinosaurs on them. He was entirely too adorable for Emma not to tousle his hair.  
>"Hey, I don't know if your mom told you, but I'm here to help you with some kind of school project."<br>"Yeah, I have to conduct an experiment using the scientific method."

4 hours later and Emma and Henry had one completed science project.  
>"Well, I should probably check in with your mom. Let her know how it went."<br>"It went great! There was explosions and everything!"  
>"There sure was. I think I'll leave that part out when I'm telling your mom, though." Emma turned to find Regina and inform her about the experiment<br>"Hey, where is your mom, anyways?"  
>"She's probably in her room. Second door on the right when you get upstairs."<br>"Thanks."  
>Emma creeped through the dark upstairs hallway until she found Regina's door. She knocked hard twice.<br>"Come in" sounded a muffled voice from within.  
>Emma turned the knob and opened the door slowly. Regina was curled up in a ball under a fluffy grey comforter.<br>"Regina?"  
>Nothing.<br>"Regina, are you okay?"  
>Regina looked up at Emma with a look of disgust.<br>"I just thought that I should let you know how today went." Emma took a few steps closer to Regina. "It was a lot of fun. And I think Henry really understands the scientific method."  
>Nothing.<br>"Are you okay? You look like shit."  
>"Thanks." Regina deadpanned.<br>"What I mean is are you okay?"  
>"Obviously, I am not okay. If you would please leave, I would like to get back to sleep"<br>"No," Emma fidgeted. "I mean… I mean that someone should be taking care of you. I could take care of you."  
>"I don't need anyone. I have a 102° fever and all I want is to be left alone in peace."<br>Emma sighed. "Fine, but I'm bringing you a glass of water."  
>"Whatever." Regina finally retreated entirely into the warmth of her comforter and Emma went in search of a glass of water.<p>

Emma walked quietly upstairs with a glass of water in hand. It even had a bendy straw. (That was Henry's idea. Not hers) She entered Regina's room quietly and cautiously. Regina wasn't visible underneath the fluffy bedding, but in the quiet Emma could hear the faintest of snores. Emma smiled to herself and set the glass of water or Regina's nightstand.  
>She stood gazing at Regina's form under the covers for several seconds until she realized that she probably should have put the glass on a coaster. She sets moves the glass onto yesterday's paper, which is sitting on Regina's nightstand. She smiles at Regina and her delicate snores. She paused briefly to look at Regina again before leaving as silently as she came.<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

Emma stood outside in the cold November air, cursing at the key Regina had given her. She heard the lock click and felt a clunk through the door, but it still wouldn't open. In a last ditch effort to get the door open, she tugged on the door with her entire body weight behind her. The door flung open and Emma almost fell over.

"Mom, is anyone supposed to be coming?" a voice yelled from upstairs.

A voice from an adjacent room could be heard muttering was presumably cursing judging from the tone.

Regina stumbled most of the way down the stairs with murder in her eyes. "What, pray tell, are you doing here?"

"I ran into your secretary at the grocery store and we got to talking. She mentioned in passing that Henry was sick. I thought I'd stop by and keep him company while you were at work."

"Well, clearly I'm not at work, now am I?" Regina gestured, emphasizing her presence.  
>Emma half smiled. "Clearly. You're here. And you're wearing sweat pants. I didn't think you even owned any sweat pants."<p>

Regina sighed "I'm glad you're amused. My secretary was right about Henry being sick, but she failed to mention that I'm sick too. So if you'll excuse me, I'm going back to bed. You can stay and take care if Henry if you want to, but I need rest."

And with that, Regina turned on her heel and headed back to bed.  
>Emma climbed the stairs and turned into Henry's room. He was half asleep.<br>"Mom…" he groaned.

"Emma." she clarified. He smiled weakly. He had dark circles and the worst case of bed head known to mankind. She sat at his bedside.

"You look terrible, dude"

"I feel terrible. Hand me that trash can please." Emma handed him the trash can and averted her eyes while Henry barfed.  
>About a minute passed.<p>

"You feel better? Sometimes that can help"

"A lot. I'm sorta hungry now though."

Emma stood up "I can make you something. What do you want?"

"Maybe some soup?"

As soon as Emma reached the kitchen, she realized she had no idea where anything was. Through sheer luck, she managed to cobble together some broth, leftover chicken, and celery. It would probably be the most bland soup ever made, but it would be soup. Besides, she reasoned, bland food would be easier to keep down. She chopped the celery with a butter knife, as she couldn't find a proper knife. And she boiled the ingredients in a wok. Twenty minutes later, she had something somewhat resembling soup. So she ladeled some of it into a bowl to bring up to Henry.

Emma stepped slowly up the stairs, careful to not spill. When she opened Henry's door, he was reading a comic book. He set it down on the bed.

"Here's your soup. It's not exactly great, but it's soup." She handed him the bowl. "Careful. It's hot."

"It smells really good."  
>He took a sip.<p>

"Good"

"I'm glad you like it. I think I made too much. I'm not used to cooking for other people."  
>Henry smiled slightly and hesitated before speaking.<p>

"If you made got a lot, then maybe my mom would like some? I think she's kind of lonely. She wouldn't ask for anything, but…" Henry shrugged "I just think it'd be nice is all."

"Ok, if you really want, I'll bring her some soup."

Emma tried not to spill the soup as she ascended the stairs. She hesitated before knocking sharply on Regina's door.  
>"What do you need?"<p>

"I made some soup for Henry. He thought you might want some too."

Regina sighed "Come in."  
>Emma closed the door behind her when she came in and handed Regina the soup.<p>

"It's not real soup, I just cut up some celery and chicken and... "

Regina chuffed. "Alright, if Henry thinks I need to, then I will."

"Actually, Henry seemed to think that you needed company more than food."

Regina perfected her posture, "I do fine."

Emma nodded reassuringly. "I'm sure you do. I didn't mean to insinuate that…" Something told Emma that Henry's concern was about more than just while Regina had been sick. "Anyways. here's the soup. I, um, I should leave. I should check on Henry and after that I have work at the station and..."

"Yes. You should probably leave."

Emma walked toward the door. She looked back at Regina "Feel better soon, okay? For Henry?"

Regina nodded. Emma smiled. And she closed the door on the way out.


	3. Chapter 3

Emma eased the door to her room shut slowly. She twisted the handle so the click wouldn't disturb Regina. Emma's room had been next to Regina's since Emma moved into 108 Mifflin about 6 months ago. Before, it had been a constant back and forth and a flurry of arrangements of when Emma could pick Henry up and how he would get back. After one particular miscommunication where Emma dropped off Henry at Regina's and Regina drove to Emma's to pick him up, the women decided that it was time to move in together. They were practically family anyways. Why not live in the same house? It meant that there would always be someone home with Henry.

Except now, Henry was at school. If it were any other day, Regina and Emma would also be at their respective jobs. Except Regina was very sick. She had dismissed Emma's offer to stay home and keep her company, but Emma had persisted.

"The sooner you feel better, the sooner I don't have to put up with that annoying cough in the middle of the night. I can hear it all the way in my room." Emma had joked. Regina just glared at her. Regina was quite skilled at glaring and a 100 degree fever was currently improving her skill.

Emma tiptoed into Regina's room, careful not to wake her. She grabbed the empty glass of water from the nightstand and refilled it. The clunk of the now full glass on the nightstand made Regina stir. Emma froze. Regina let out a huge yawn and just barely opened her eyes.

"What?"

"Just bringing you water. Are you feeling better?"  
>Regina executed a world class glare. Emma stuck her hands in her pockets.<p>

"Better than you were before, Regina. Obviously you're not back to normal."  
>Regina just glared.<p>

"Do you want anything? I made extra vegetable soup last night."

"Soup would be lovely."  
>And some peace and quiet would be lovelier, Regina thought as Emma tiptoed out of the room.<p>

Emma crept into Regina's bedroom with a bowl of soup. Regina rustled under the covers and poked her head out.

"That was fast."  
>Emma sat on the side of Regina's bed.<p>

"Actually it took almost 20 minutes. The microwave stopped working, so I had to warm it up on the stove. I think you just fell asleep."  
>Regina considered this carefully for a moment.<p>

"I guess."  
>Regina situated herself upright, so she wouldn't spill the soup Emma handed her.<br>Emma watched as Regina ate every last bit of the soup and chugged the water.

"You must be getting better, see. You've got an appetite back"

"I think I'm feeling better, but I'm still a little tired. I'm going to go back to sleep" Regina cocooned back into her blanket and rolled over.

Emma sighed out of boredom. She had stayed home to take care of Regina and now Regina was asleep. Well she'd be damned if she was going to stay home alone bored. She started pulling at the laces of her boots and sliding them off. Soon she had slipped into bed and snuggled up against Regina.

"I thought you said it was too soon to sleep together. Something about wanting to take things slow." Regina quipped.

"Fine, then. I'll just go." Emma shifted, pretending to get up.  
>Regina grabbed Emma's arm and moaned a moan of defeat and soup.<p>

"You're warm, though. Please stay…"

"Okay. If I must, I must. Sigh. The things I do for love."  
>Regina was taken somewhat aback. Love? They had both thought it before, but never ventured to say it out loud. Regina just smiled at Emma knowingly.<br>Emma smiled back before hugging Regina a little tighter as they both drifted off to sleep together.


	4. Chapter 4

"You are such a baby when you're sick. Do you know that?" Regina grumbled. "And here's your soup. It's a good thing that you made so much." Regina smiled  
>Emma nodded approvingly at Regina<p>

"Thanks. You're the best, Regina."

"I was the one that got you sick. That being said, I know exactly how terrible you feel right now. I also feel guilty for getting you sick for some reason. "

"When I moved in here, I knew that our family would have to share everything. I guess that means germs, too."  
>Regina kissed Emma on the forehead.<p>

"You see how I did that? I kissed you on your forehead and not on your lips. Now I'm not going to get sick."

"Oh, shut up. You've already had it anyways. You can't get it again. Something about the immune system..."  
>Regina deliberated for a moment before kissing Emma right on the lips.<p>

"You taste like cough medicine." Regina made a disgusted face.

"Maybe that's because I've been drinking cough medicine.."

Regina chuckled softly and kissed Emma's lips again.

"Now scoot over. I think having you snuggling in bed with me speeded up the recovery process."

Regina crawled into bed with Emma and they slept cuddled up in each other's arms until the morning.


End file.
